ENGLAND TROUTMASTERS REPORTS FOR WEEK-ENDING AUGUST 24TH, 2018
Peter Davison with 7lb Chatton brown trout.
Chatton Trout Fishery, Northumberland
The mornings and evenings are producing good dry fly sport using size 14 and 16 small black dries, along with Daddies, Black Spiders and Klinkhamers. Other flies working well this week have been Buzzers, Diawl Bachs, and also lures on intermediate lines or sink-tips. Rob Frame from West Denton caught 18 fish on a Hare’s Ear Shipmans. Lee Ross from Wooler caught 9 fish on a PTN. Anthony Meadows from Chopwell caught 17 fish on Damsels and Buzzers. Ken Glenton from Ashington caught 15 fish, returning one of 12lb to Chatton Lake, using Diawl Bachs, dries and Buzzers. Mick Brown from Bedlington returned 12 fish on small nymphs. Alec Harvey from Cramlington caught 15 fish on dries and nymphs. Bruce Goodwin from Coldsteam returned 10 fish on a Grey Wulff. Peter Davison from New Hartley caught a brown trout of around 7lb. He landed 17 fish in total. Jamie Potts was delighted with a 4lb 8oz rainbow from Chatton Lake caught on a home-tied size 14 Cormorant. The fishery is closing at 8.30pm this week, and 5pm on Saturday.
Elinor Trout Fishery, Northamptonshire
Fishing continued to be difficult at the start of the week. However, there has been a big improvement since Saturday with the water temperature dropping to 19C. Only two two-day boats fished on Sunday. Paul White caught 8 fish on a Damsel Booby and Cormorant fished on an intermediate line. Steve Loveridge took 5 fish on wet Daddies. Prospects are good now we are over the heat wave. For the week August 13 – 19 the 74 anglers caught 81 fish of which 63 were returned (over the weekend 18 anglers caught 46 fish). Best bank areas are east arm, creek, boat bay. Best boat areas east arm, pylon point, down middle. Best patterns wet Daddy, Black Hopper, Damsel Booby, Cormorant and Black Buzzer.
Foremark Trout Fishery, Derbyshire
The weather this week has finally become more sympathetic to fly-fishing being overcast sometimes, wet and interspersed with sunny periods with medium wind speeds from the southwest, but sometimes blustery. The water temperature has held at 18C and appears to be slowly on the decline. The cascade is still running albeit flowing into shallow water, and there are still strong undercurrents in the vicinity of the tower. These undercurrents, in combination with the nearby aerators, are still attracting significant numbers of fish. Fish finder results indicated that number 1 to 2 buoys and on to the aerators were the major areas for indicated fish. The fish returns have also indicated number 3 buoy and towards the dam wall is also of interest. The last fish finder usage did indicate that the fish were located higher in the water table rather than at the extreme depth. Early morning fishing and late evening is producing better recorded catches.
The aerators are still a hotspot. We make no apology in reminding anglers again of the need to observe the fishing etiquette for fishing the aerators. Anglers need to set up their boat so they drift through the aerators. Because of the depth of water, you cannot anchor in the boils. The boat engine should not be started within or near the aerators in order to maintain station on the boils, except if there is an emergency. The boat should be allowed to drift through and then when well clear of the aerators the engine started and go around the aerators, not through them, and positioned to begin a further drift. If there is more than one boat fishing this area, then boats should take their natural turn within the group of boats for drifting the aerators such that all anglers have an equal chance of fishing this area. It would be appreciated if all anglers observed this etiquette.
On Monday Paul Walker caught 3 on Damsels on a floating line and Klinkhamers on a floating line from 1 to 2 buoy and towards the tower/aerators. On Tuesday Mick Reid caught 5 on an intermediate line pulling White Snakes fast at approximately 2-3 feet down on an intermediate whilst fishing a wind lane close to the aerators. Messer’s Taft and Colley had 8 to the boat using a clear glass lines and small lures. Drifting in the boat produced the fish. On Wednesday Kev Hart had 10 fish on a midge-tip line using 2 Blobs and Holographic Cruncher. He was again drifting from number 3 buoy towards the dam wall. Paul Walker had 12 fish on Daddy Longlegs on a floating line in the vicinity of buoy 1.
On Thursday there was a Cheshire police match and 11 anglers competed. The weather was unfortunately blustery and sunny. Nevertheless compared to previous weeks the rod average for the match was good at 1.6 with first place to Ian Wood catching 5 fish, A. Dunedon came second with 4 fish and R. Hood third with 3 fish. The Fishery would like to extend its thanks to Ian Wood for his effective organisation of the event.
On Friday the wind was more constant with a wind speed of 8mph blowing from a westerly direction. Mick Reid caught 3 fish on a Blue-flash Damsel on an intermediate line while Paul Walker caught 7 fish on Klinkhamers and Boobies on either floating or intermediate lines. On Saturday Brian White caught 3 trout on a Green Fritz in the cascade. He also caught an exceedingly large amount of perch. Sunday brought some good news with the superb condition of fish caught by Kevin Hart, demonstrating they must have still been feeding hard whilst holding at depth throughout the prolonged heatwave. Kevin netted 8 during an afternoon session on drifts before and after the aerators using Muddlers waked through the waves, Mini Boobies and Crunchers. For a fish photograph visit www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
Thrunton Trout Fishery, Northumberland
Following another week of cooler conditions, anglers have continued to land larger bag numbers. Anglers have also had some great evening sessions, fishing small nymphs and dries. At the beginning part of the week anglers, were catching fish on dries and small nymphs. Wind speeds began to pick up at the end of the week, keeping the water well oxygenated. The Thrunton Juniors have continued to work through their CAST awards with a noticeable change to their casting technique. Thank you to Steve McCann and Alec Harvey for coaching and assisting the Juniors. Diawl Bachs worked well for Hadston angler Matty Devine safely releasing 10 fish to Coe Crag. Blyth angler, Spike used various lures to land 4 fish from Coe Crag. Ray Wood from West Woodburn used a Hopper to land 8 fish from Long Crag. Alec Harvey used dries with a red butt to safely return 7 fish to Long Crag. Ashington angler Martin Gaffney had a ‘great evening’ fishing Hares Ear’s and PTNs, safely releasing 7 fish to Long Crag. Jimmy Galgett from Newcastle had 7 fish between both lakes using a Sedge. Bedlington angler Mick Brown used a Killer Midge and safely returned 15 fish to Coe Crag. Morpeth angler Rob Hall used Buzzers and Diawl Bachs to safely return 14 fish to Long Crag. Alan Robinson from Lynemouth had 5 fish on a black & green lure and a Shipmans. Ian McLean used Blobs to return 5 fish to Coe Crag. Lol Seddon had a ‘great day’ using a Damsel and a CDC, returning 5 fish between both lakes. Steve Tait from Newcastle safely released 6 fish between both lakes using a Diawl Bach and a Buzzer. J. Conway from Durham used a Black Palmer to land 7 fish between both lakes. Mick Kelley from Swarland safely returned 7 from both lakes on Hogs. Andy Cherry had 8 fish on dry flies on Long Crag. Michael Hall from Cramlington also returned 5 to Long Crag on dries.
Best flies are Sedges, Buzzers, Diawl Bachs, Damsels, Blobs, PTN, Shipmans, dries and lures. Open daily 8.30am to 8.30pm. Saturday and Monday 5pm close.
On September 2 Thrunton is welcoming all anglers to help raise money for The Tiny Lives Charity. There will be a raffle and prizes for the 3 heaviest fish caught. Donations and raffle prizes will be gratefully accepted for this fantastic charity. Limited spaces remaining please contact the fishery on 01665 574400 for more information and to book.
Junior Fly Tying is on Friday August 24. Please contact the Fishery for further details.